Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Cuba Ranks #156 Out of 157 for Economic Freedom

According to the 2007 Heritage/Wall Street Journal Index of Economic Freedom, Cuba has a score of 29.7 (29.7% economically free) out of 100, and ranks 156 out of 157 countries, see the ranked list here. North Korea is #157 with only 3% freedom, and Libya ranks #155 with 34.5% freedom.

Hong Kong ranks #1 with 89.3% freedom, and the U.S. ranks #4 with 82% freedom.

From Cuba's profile in the report: "Cuba is ranked 29th out of 29 countries in the Americas, and its overall score is so low that it is less than half of the regional average.

8 Comments:

I urge you again to look at the way in which you ARE coming to these frankly misleading conclusions.

Looking at the methodology used in the index - it is clear that it's geared up to measure progress towards *capitalist* goals - which hardly seems to be a priority in socialist cuba - ergo the low ranking based is of little surprise.

Thank you T. The methodology in the HDI is much more comprehensive than the capitalist ends that Mark showed from the Heritage Foundation and Wall Street Journal.

There are problems with Cuba, but the island is a place where the United States and other countries can learn a lot from. The people of the world have turned to Cuba, calling it a dignified example of constructing a new order based upon human values, moving towards a more just and democratic world. The United States has turned a blind eye.

I appreciate all of the scrutiny of Cuba, and even the healthy dose of suspicion, but ignoring other economic and political systems is cowardly.

Capitalism has a record of both domination and development. In the United States, the currency is money - it's what makes the world go round and people are put behind money and constantly exploited. It's an advanced system and has directly influenced the U.S. development and success in the world, but it's inextricably tied to dominating other peoples and other lands.

It's the price of development in our world under our system, but it's a system that is short-sighted and exploitive. We no longer have lands to conquer. The world community no longer tolerates exploiting other people (at least it gives lip service to this creed). The dialectic of domination and development is under reform. It has to in order for our world to continue to exist and prosper. Our new world system will be governed by human values instead of money. It will be democratic and will promote justice and freedom.

Cuba has strengths in some regard, and the U.S. has others. We should learn from each other.

Look at the "Top 10 Reasons that Human Rights don't exist in Cuba, from the Human Rights Watch 2006 Report on Cuba" in this blog [the post after this one] and tell me what exactly I'm supposed to learn from Cuba other than a confirmation that absolute power corrupts absolutely.

I'm not sure how you define "justice and freedom" but I am sure I don't want any of what your selling.